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Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
September 8–11, 2025
Atlanta, GA|Atlanta Marriott Marquis
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The RAIN scale: A good intention that falls short
Radiation protection specialists agree that clear communication of radiation risks remains a vexing challenge that cannot be solved solely by finding new ways to convey technical information.
Earlier this year, an article in Nuclear News described a new radiation risk communication tool, known as the Radiation Index, or, RAIN (“Let it RAIN: A new approach to radiation communication,” NN, Jan. 2025, p. 36). The authors of the article created the RAIN scale to improve radiation risk communication to the general public who are not well-versed in important aspects of radiation exposures, including radiation dose quantities, units, and values; associated health consequences; and the benefits derived from radiation exposures.
Y. Ronen, Y. Dali
Nuclear Science and Engineering | Volume 130 | Number 2 | October 1998 | Pages 239-253
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NSE98-A2003
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A new concept for a core in a high-conversion reactor is presented. This core consists of tight lattice fuel elements enriched with plutonium. These fuel elements are made up of layers of higher enrichment (mixed-oxide fuel) and natural uranium; therefore, the core is composed of alternate layers of high- and low-enrichment fuels. The reactor with this core was nicknamed "Big Mac."Due to spectral effects and leakage into and out of the different zones, it was found that this reactor has a high conversion ratio >0.9 with negative void coefficient, a relatively long fuel cycle, with 6% average fissile plutonium enrichments. Several interesting spectral effects were found and analyzed.
